Wachsman



Feb. 21, 1956 H. WACHSMAN 2,735,151

CLOTHES PIN Filed May 24, 1954 United States Patent CLOTHES PIN Henrick Wachsman, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Application May 24, 1954, Serial No. 431,983 3 Ciaims. (Cl. 24-139) The present invention pertains to a novel clothes pin.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a clothes pin made of a single length of wire and thereby avoiding the assembly of a number of parts. Another object is to provide such a clothes pin that can hold two adjacent pieces suspended from the line.

A further object is to provide an exceedingly simple and inexpensive device for the purposes set forth which may remain permanently on the line.

In the accomplishment of these objects, a length of wire is bent to form a triangular loop, with a free end of the wire incorporated in one of the sides and lying at the base of the triangle. Preferably, this end is in the form of a finger lying along and in separable contact with a portion of the base.

The Wire is extended from the base in the form of a leg parallel to and spaced from the base. The remaining end of the wire is preferably shaped as a handle extending laterally from the leg.

The clothes pin is applied to the line in such a manner that the leg applies pressure in opposite directions against the line. The leg is of such length that two adjacent pieces suspended from the line may be engaged thereby, under opposite pressures against the line, whereby to clamp these two pieces.

The invention is fully disclosed by Way of example in the following description and in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device;

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the application of the device to a clothes line;

Figure 3 is an elevation of the device;

Figure 4 is another perspective view;

Figure 5 is an elevation showing the fastening of clothes to the line;

Figure 6 is a section on the line 66 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a plan view of the device on a line; and

Figure 8 is a side elevation showing also stop means on a pulley.

Reference to these views will now be made by use of like characters which are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout.

In Figure 1 the device is shown as consisting of a single length of yieldable wire or other rod-like material bent to form a triangular loop comprising strand portion or sides 1 and 2 and a base or strand 3. One of the free ends of the wire is formed as a finger 4 extend ing from the side 1 along a portion of the base 3 in separable contact therewith.

From this end of the base or strand 3, the wire is continued as a bend S and a length or strand 6 lying parallel to and spaced from the base, forming therewith a U shaped open loop. The remaining end of the wire extends outward from the free end of the leg or strand 6 as a short angularly disposed operating handle portion 7 on which a sleeve 8 may be formed or fitted if desired.

In the use of the device, the handle 7 is held and the finger 4 is snapped over the line 9 as shown in Figure 2. The triangular loop thus hangs from the line as in Figure 3. The clothes pins may remain permanently on the line.

In fastening laundered pieces 10 to the line, the finger 4 is lifted over the line as in Figure 5 and merely contacts the line. Leg 6 and base 3 now lie at both sides 2,735,151 Patented Feb. 21, 1956 of the line to engage adjacent pieces 10 at respectively opposite sides thereof. The line 9 thereby bends at 11 in Figure 7 and is brought under tension against those surfaces of the pieces 10 that are not engaged by leg 6 and base 3. One of these surfaces is engaged by the side 2 and the other by the bend 5, whereby the pieces 10 are clamped on the line.

The manipulation of the clothes pin to the described position requires a rotative movement which is conveniently effected by holding the handle 7.

As shown in Figure 8, a similar device 12 is attached to the pulley frame 13 and prevents the pins from becoming tangled against the pulley 14.

It may now be seen that the device comprises essentially a single length of wire rather than a number of assembled parts as in conventional jaw type clothes pins. Also, a single pin may hold two pieces 10 as shown in Figure 5.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that various alterations in the details of construction may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A clothes pin comprising a length of rod-like material having a pair of connected strands in spaced relationship, the extension of one of said strands being reversely bent into a strand portion constituting a clothes line-receiving loop, said strands and loop strand portion lying in the same plane, the extension of the other strand terminating in an operating handle located in a plane angularly disposed to said first plane, both said strands and strand portion operable for fastening adjacent pieces of clothes on the line.

2. A clothes pin comprising a length of rod-like material having a pair of connected strands in spaced relationship, the extension of one of said strands being reversely bent into a strand portion constituting a clothes line-receiving loop, said strands and loop strand portion lying in the same plane, the extension of the other strand terminating in an operating handle lying in a plane substantially normal to said first plane, both said strands and strand portion operable for fastening adjacent pieces of clothes on the line.

3. A clothes pin comprising a length of rod-like material having a pair of connected strands in spaced relationship, the extension of one of said strands being reversely bent into a strand portion constituting a clothes line-receiving loop, said strands and loop strand portion lying in the plane, the extension of the other strand terminating in an operating handle lying in a plane substantially normal to said first plane, both said strands and strand portion operable for fastening adjacent pieces of clothes on the line, said rod-like material being sufficiently yieldable for insertion on the clothes line within the loop.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 273,633 Strong Mar. 6, 1883 1,059,610 Ingersol Apr. 22, 1913 1,106,487 Bradley Aug. 11, 1914 1,119,116 Putney Dec. 1, 1914 1,151,943 Grifiin Aug. 31, 1915 1,277,338 Newsom Aug. 27, 1918 1,372,524 Lonviere Mar. 22, 1921 1,373,729 Hoehn Apr. 5, 1921 1,945,585 Wintrob Feb. 6, 1934 2,385,565 Cox Sept. 25, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 614,894 Great Britain 1948 

